A Touch of the Blues part 3
by vangiekitty
Summary: Hank and Rogue continue their talk in the cafe. (Hey- for those ofyou who have been asking, more of Delicious...Disturbingsoon. I promise. :)


Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men I'm only using them for a bit of fun.

A Touch of a the Blues part 3: The scene in the Starbucks continues: by vangiekitty

Rogue had made a decision to tell Hank something she had promised herself to keep secret forever.

"I'm gonna tell ya somethin' that I swore I would take to my grave, Sugah."She said decidedly."Only, ya have ta promise not ta laugh or tease me--Ok?"

"Of course, my dear."Hank was intrigued at the prospect of the secret.

"OK, here goes -- when I first came here, before Remy...Before I was otherwise engaged," she corrected herself --the situation with Gambit was still too difficult to discuss."Anyway, what I'm trying to say is...Well...I had a little -- thing -- for you."

"A little thing?"Hank asked, a bit blankly.

"Yeah, Sugah.You know, a little crush."

"Really?I had no idea."

Rogue grinned."That's your problem Sugah, you don't notice unless a girl throws herself a ya.But I wasn't upta that then."

"And why not, may I ask?"

"You were...I don't know...intimidating."

"Intimidating?Moi?"

"Yes, you."She said laughing."You're always so smart, so witty -- I never knew quite what to say to you and before I could work up my courage..."

"You were otherwise engaged."He said, using her own phrase to describe her now defunct relationship with Gambit.

"Yeah."Rogue said softly.

"Well, may I say how very sorry I am to hear that, my dear."Hank's voice dropped to a more intimate tone and it was Rogue's turn to blush a little.Afraid he was making her uncomfortable, Hank tried to lighten the mood a little."But surely it wasn't only my blinding intellect that drew you like a moth and to the flame, dear Lady."He declaimed."What isnot also my dashing good looks that drew your wandering eye?"He winked and waggled his eyebrows clownishly as he said it and Rogue giggled. The too- serious mood was broken but Hank wasn't sure he was glad or not.

"Hank, you know you are very handsome."Said Rogue, and he blinked, realizing that she absolutely meant it and wasn't joking in the least."But what really drew me to you," she continued "like a moth and to the flame as ya so poetically put it, was your resemblance to a certainchildhood memory which I cherish dearly."

"I suppose I look like Rover, the faithful family dog."He said lightly.

Rogue frowned."Course not."

"Then Grover, the delightful blue maven of Sesame Street."Hank suggested."I have been told the resemblance is striking."

"Wrong again."Her eyes were twinkling.

"Well then..."He gestured for her to continue.

"Well, you're just that exact deep shade of blue as Bilbo."

"Bilbo?Bilbo Baggins?"Hanks said blankly."As in the Lord of the Rings?"

"No -- Bilbo Blanket, my velvety thermal security blanket when I was a little girl."Rogue replied with all seriousness."Ah, go on and laugh then."She continued with mock aggravation, seeing the corners of Hank's mouth twitching violently.

"I beg your pardon.I do assure you I'm trying most valiantly to keep my promise."But despite himself, first one snort of laughter escaped him, then another."You named your security blanket Bilbo?"He gasped at last, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes.

"Yes I did, cause my daddy was readin' me the hobbit when I got the blanket.I was only five or six.Mercy, Hank!You're actually cryin', you're laughin' so hard it me."Rogue's face was reproachful, but her face was happy.She had succeeded in cheering Hank up.

"So you liked me because I was witty, handsome, and bore an eerie resemblance to the somewhat dilapidated security blanket of your misguided youth?A security blanket which you named after a hobbit?" Hank was still inclined to laugh.

"Exactly."Rogue picked up the one unshredded napkin that remained on their table and began to gently blot Hanks streaming eyes."I remember how safe I used ta feel with that warm, furry blanket coverin' me at night."She remarked wistfully."I used to think no one and nothin' could hurt me so long as it was wrapped around me.I was protected from all the world."

Hank reached up and caught the hand holding the paper napkin."Is that which you need, Rogue?Someone to protect you from the world?"Their eyes met for instant.

"No Sugah," gently, Rogue reclaimed her hand and began to tear the one remaining napkin into little strips."I tried that already.I thought Remy LeBeau was the answer.I tried to make him my security blanket, but it didn't work.I thought he could make everything better, but just look what happened.My life's a mess now, I just feel..."She indicated the pile of torn up napkins on the table, "shredded."

Hank thought he understood."You still have feelings for Gambit, then?"The thought made his stomach turn over with dread though he didn't quite understand why.

"No, that's the scary part.What I feel for him -- it's like a black hole.No hate, no love- just nothin'.He thinks I'm mad at him and I've tried to be, I honestly have.But I just can't seem to work up any emotions at all.Not a single one."

"Is that bad?"Hank asked gently.

Just frightenin', I guess.It's like a part of me is dead and I have ta wonder if it'll ever come back."

"It will, Rogue."Hank took one of her gloved hands and soothed did absently between his own huge blue -- furred ones."You'll learn to love...And trust again.It will just take time."

"Maybe."She sighed, but this time let him keep her hand."That's kinda what I was hopin'.That's what my road trip with Bobby was all about, clearin' my head, helpin' me see things from a different perspective.But all I could think about..."Her eyes squeeze tightly shut."Was all those years I wasted on Remy.The big piece of my life I'll never get back.And nothing to show for it."Rogue shifted in her chair and looked up into Hank's deep blue eyes, her own green ones brimming with unshed tears.

"All these years, Hank."She whispered, "I kept thinkin', you know, something'll come along.The professor will teach me to control my powers psionically or someone will invent some sort of inhibitor device that'll dampen my powers without killin' me or some such.But it never happened.And here I am, getting older now.Still untouched...Unloved.Hank, do you know I'm still virgin?"

Hank deep into the violet -- purple shade again which meant he was blushing. "Forgive me, Rogue.I think I always just assumed -- that we all assumed... well,um," he seemed unsure of how to continue."Does not latex make all things possible?"

"You'd think so, wouldn't ya?"Rogue asked bitterly."But as Remy pointed out," her voice dropped into a savage, eerily accurate imitation of Gambit's."If de condom burst, I be one dead Cajun, girl!"

"I never thought of it that way."Hanks said softly."I guess there are always risks."

"Yeah."Rogue said shortly."There are.Anyway, Remy was right.I realized that I couldn't ask anyone to risk their life just for my pleasure.So -- I dropped it, and," she sighed, "It never came up again."

"Some things are worth the risk."Hanks said softly.Rogue gave a short, bitter laugh.

"Tell that to Remy LeBeau.He's such a great thief.He stole my time, he stole my emotions.Tha only thing he never managed to steal is my virginity."She sighed again, tiredly."Well Hank, maybe it's time ta go.Thanks for listenin' to me rant tonight"

"Anytime you need someone to talk to, I'm here."Hank said looking deeply into her troubled green eyes.

"Thanks, Hank.You're a true friend."Rogue raised one gloved hand and caressed his furry cheek gently.There was a depth of longing in her eyes that Hank couldn't understand.

"I want to be."He said.And turning his lips to the gloved hand caressing his face, he laid at gentle kiss in her palm."Perhaps we should go my dear."

"Guess so Hank.This hasn't been one of our happier midnight -- coffee sessions.I'm sorry if I brought ya down."

"You didn't."He said simply.They walked out the door together, but neither seem to notice they were holding hands.


End file.
